The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has released the full verdict of its Appellate Division upholding the caretaker government system in the constitution. The 74-page judgment, authored by former Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, was published on the Supreme Court’s website on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The verdict had originally been delivered on November 20 of the previous year.

The caretaker government system was first introduced in 1996 through the 13th Amendment under the BNP government. In 2011, during the Awami League government, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court declared the 13th Amendment void, effectively abolishing the caretaker system. Following the fall of the Awami League government, an interim administration sought a review of the 2011 verdict, leading the Supreme Court to reopen the appeal.

The court has now declared the earlier annulment of the 13th Amendment invalid, thereby reinstating the non-partisan caretaker government system to oversee national elections.